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The Article of the Month
Gesundheit!
(German word wishing good health.)
By: Joanne Freeman
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So we are watching the newest episode of “Man, Woman, Wild” when our little Chihuahua, “Maverick” starts making noises that sound like he is gasping for breath. |
Is he watching the program with us and adding his commentary? Is he about to die? Or is this just what he does periodically? My son, Alex goes to him with concern and wonders what is going on. “Relax” I say, “He is just having a reverse sneeze.” Huh?
So just what is a reverse sneeze? The medical term for this phenomenon is Inspiratory Paroxysmal Respiration, (Inspiratory - pertaining to inhalation, Paroxysmal - a sudden or severe attack usually occurring periodically, and Respiration - breathing.) This condition doesn’t actually have anything to do with sneezing even though it sounds like the pet is inhaling their sneezes.
These spasms are caused by an irritation of the soft palate which is a flap of fleshy tissue closing off the animal’s airway during swallowing to prevent food and liquids from going into their lungs. In dogs with Brachycephalic skulls (those with flat faces, such as Pugs and Boxers) this palate is elongated and overlaps the epiglottis. This will partially obstruct the dog’s airway during breathing, making them more prone to these episodes. The condition can also be common in smaller dogs, possibly because they have smaller throats. The most common cause of reverse sneezing spasms is an irritation of the soft palate and throat. Irritation occurs when things such as dust, pollen or household chemical fumes are inhaled. Other causes may include overexcitement, eating or drinking, pulling on a leash, foreign bodies caught in the throat, and post-nasal drip. Reverse sneezing can also happen when your dog is asleep or right after he or she awakens from a long nap.
During a spasm, the dog’s neck will extend and the chest will expand as the dog tries harder to inhale. He will usually turn his elbows outward while gasping inwards with a distinctive snorting sound. The problem is that the trachea has narrowed and it’s hard to get the normal amount of air into the lungs. Even though is sounds like your dog is gasping for air, this condition is not known to be harmful. Once the attack is over, most dogs are completely normal and healthy. Dogs that suffer from reverse sneezing will probably have repeat episodes throughout their lives.
What can you do if your dog starts to have an attack? If an inside irritant is the cause, taking the dog outside can help because the dog will no longer be inhaling the offender. One thing you may try is to pinch your dog’s nose and scratch or massage his throat. Or try to blow lightly in his face; this will cause him to swallow a couple of times, thus clearing out the irritation and stopping the spasm. If the attack continues, you can try depressing the dog’s tongue which opens up the mouth and helps move the air through the nasal passages. (I would only recommend this if you have something similar to a tongue depressor. You don’t want be bitten accidentally.) Other things to do include calming him down by rubbing his sides and back.
Generally dogs do not require medication for this condition. However, if the spasms seem serious or occur quite often, consult your veterinarian to rule out viral infections, polyps, excessive soft palate tissue or allergies. If your veterinarian can determine a specific problem and create a treatment plan, the overall comfort of your dog can be enhanced. Things like mites or allergies can be medicated thus helping to eliminate the problem. Other procedures may include the need for your veterinarian to look up the nasal passages (rhinoscopy), and perform a biopsy to determine the cause of the problem. Sometimes, despite all the diagnostics available, no cause will be identified.
While cats are known to have asthma, they are less likely to experience reverse sneezing than dogs. However, if your cat seems to have similar respiratory episodes, it is recommended that you visit your veterinarian because feline asthma requires much more treatment than reverse sneezing.
To view this phenomenon, visit http://www.youtube.com/ and type in “reverse sneezing”. You will find many short videos of dogs experiencing these episodes.
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Peggy's Corner:
Recipies for your furry friend.
Make sure to talk with your veterinarian if your pet has food allergies or intestinal problems.
PURRFECT LUNA TUNA TREATS:
1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
½ can tuna in oil, drained OR ½ cup cooked chicken, chopped into small pieces
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 egg, beaten
1/8 cup water
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix first four ingredients in a mixing bowl. Add a little water if the dough is too stiff. Roll dough to ¼ inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut into shapes with a cookie cutter. (Peggy prefers her cookies to be fish shaped.) Place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes or until firm. Cool completely.
POLLYWOG DOG BISCUITS:
2 cups whole wheat flour
½ cup all purpose flour
½ cup powdered dry milk
1 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons margarine or bacon fat
1 egg, beaten
½ teaspoon brown sugar
¼ c sunflower kernels, finely chopped
¼ cup milk
¼ cup water
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix first four ingredients. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles cornmeal. Beat the egg and sugar together and add to dry mixture. Fold in the sunflower kernels. Add milk and water to make dough stiff. Knead until smooth and pliable. Roll out onto a floured surface to a ½ inch thickness. Use any shape cookie cutter to cut the biscuits. (Peggy recommends one shaped like a mailman.) Bake on a greased cookie for 30 minutes or until lightly toasted. For crisper biscuits, turn oven off and leave in for an extra hour.
Visit the CT Humane Animal Care Library for more Fox Focus tips.
Visit Fox Memorial Clinic for more information on the services they provide.
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